Dictionary
AGILE TERMS
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Acceptance criteria
Acceptance criteria
Expectations, conditions, needs defined by the stakeholders of a product (customers, users, etc.) in relation to a development. Often used as part of User Stories.
A professional who brings expertise and experience in applying Agile development frameworks and approaches to the organisations, individuals and teams involved.
Agile Manifesto
Agile Manifesto
A document summarising the principles and values of the agile approach.
A document summarising the principles and values of the agile approach.
Agile mindset
Agile approach
A set of development frameworks and tools based on agile principles.
The set of design processes and tools used in agile approaches, often different from traditional design processes.
Agile principles
Agile principles
The basic principles of the Agile approach, which can be found in the Agile Manifesto.
Agile team
Agile team
An agile team, typically cross-functional and self-organising.
The shift from traditional development processes, operations and approaches to an agile approach, which most often involves organisational-level operational, structural and cultural changes.
Agile values
Agile values
The values that define the Agile approach, which can be found in the Agile Manifesto.
B
Burn-down chart
A graph that shows how much the team has completed and how much is left to complete in a given timeframe during agile development.
Business value
Business value
The business value that a product or feature brings to the customer. The dimensions of this can vary widely.
business agility
Business agility
It refers to the ability of an organisation to respond to market and environmental impacts.
A business agile organisation:
- adapts quickly to market changes
- manage customer needs quickly and flexibly
- implements organisational change effectively
- has a permanent competitive advantage
C
Continuous delivery
Continuous delivery
A method used in agile development that allows for continuous (frequent) delivery of a product to the customer.
Continuous improvement
Continuous improvement
Continuous improvement of the functioning of an organisation or team in an empirical way.
Continuous integration
Continuous integration
A method used in agile development whereby code written by developers is continuously integrated (compilation, testing, checks, etc.) into a common code base.
Continuous testing
Continuous testing
A method used in Agile development, where testing is done in parallel with the start of development to ensure quality and correct functionality.
Cross-functional team
Cross-functional team
A team with all the skills and knowledge to deliver a project, making agile development more efficient. The team does not need external help. Often team members come from multiple disciplines.
D
Daily Scrum/Daily standup
Daily Scrum/Daily standup
Short daily meetings of up to 15 minutes between team members during Agile development, where the team reviews whether they are on track to achieve the goal. The primary objective is to increase transparency.
Definition of Done (DoD)
The criteria that a product or increment must meet to be accepted.
Definition of Ready (DoR)
The criteria that Product Backlog items must meet before the team can start working with them in Agile development.
A cultural and technological approach to agile development that combines development and operational responsibility to deliver a product as efficiently and quickly as possible.
E
Epic
A larger, complex task that can be broken down into smaller elements (e.g. a user story) and can be implemented over several iterations.
It is an agile framework for software development processes that aims to produce quality code through close collaboration between developers and continuous feedback.
F
Support processes and communication most often during a group or team event to make the meeting more effective and efficient.
Fail fast
A quick failure
An agile philosophy, which means that in iterative development cycles, bugs should be identified as early as possible so that they can be reacted to and improve product quality, customer satisfaction and project success.
Feature
Function
A specific need or characteristic of a product or service, designed to solve part or all of a customer or user's problem.
G
Generalizing specialist
General expert
A person who has a broad knowledge of the subject area but also experience in other areas. When building agile teams, people with these qualities are an asset.
H
Hybrid methodology
Hybrid methodology
A methodology that is developed by combining elements of several methodologies. It can be agile or, at the tool level, a mix of traditional and agile methodological elements.
I
Increment
Incrementum
In Agile development, iterations produce smaller, independent product parts that form a larger whole.
Incremental delivery
Incremental transport
Regular release of constantly growing and evolving versions and functionality of the product used in Agile development.
Information radiators
Information boards
Tools or solutions that can quickly and easily inform stakeholders about the development or work in question (e.g. a Scrum board).
Iteration
Iteration
Typically used in Agile development, the 1-4 week cycle is designed to help developers produce a working, demonstrable Incrementum.
J
Just-in-time (JIT)
A method that allows teams to perform only those tasks that are required at the moment, based on the project requirements. This helps minimise wasted work, time and costs and allows teams to respond as quickly as possible to client needs and changing market conditions.
A Lean-based visualised method for process management that provides efficiency and transparency. Initially used in manufacturing processes, it has now become common in agile product development.
L
Increase competitiveness by improving flow, eliminating losses/waste, improving quality and developing people.
M
Minimal marketable feature (MMF)
Minimum marketable functionality
The smallest product or service with functionality that can be considered marketable.
Minimal viable product (MVP)
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
The product or service with the least functionality for which we can get feedback from potential users. Not necessarily marketable yet.
Mob programming
A collaborative development method in which the whole team works together on a computer or project to increase understanding and quality. Most often used for more complex tasks, which may require the expertise of several team members.
N
Nexus
Scrum-based scaling framework for developing and maintaining product delivery initiatives.
O
Objectives and Key Results (OKR)
A strategic framework that defines objectives and their key results and helps teams and organisations to achieve them. The OKR method is designed to focus people on the overall objectives and align their work effectively to achieve them.
P
Pair programming
Pair programming
Joint programming by two developers, with frequent rotation. The aim is continuous review, quality assurance and quality improvement.
Planning poker
Design poker
A playful method for agile estimation, where team members use cards to determine the size of tasks.
A prioritised list of needs/tasks according to business value, which includes which improvements are related to a product or service.
Product Backlog refinement
Product Backlog refinement
A prioritised list of needs/tasks according to business value, which includes which improvements are related to a product or service.
The person responsible for the business value of a product or service. Responsibilities include communicating with customers and users, identifying and prioritising development needs, and managing the product backlog.
Product roadmap
Longer-term plans for the product or service and a high-level timetable for its development.
Product vision
Product vision
A brief description of the aims, values and direction of the product or service. The vision provides a basic input for development.
Q
Quick wins
Quick results
A strategy to set and achieve short-term goals. These goals are usually easily achievable and quickly attainable and help to increase team motivation, commitment and effectiveness.
R
Refactoring
Refactoring
Improving the quality of the code for reuse and extensibility, aimed at, among other things, reducing technological debt.
Release planning
Release planning
A plan for bringing a product or service to market, which may consist of several releases.
Retrospective
Retrospective
Typically used in Agile development, this is a look-back at the end of iterations. It aims to continuously improve process and collaboration.
Retrospective action items
Retrospective actions
Suggestions and action points arising from the retrospective discussions.
S
A scaled agile framework developed primarily for large enterprise environments.
Scaling
Scaling
The use of agile methodologies in larger organisations, typically to coordinate the agile operations of multiple teams.
scrum board
Scrum board
The worksheet used by the Scrum framework, which most often displays the status of tasks.
Scrum event
Scrum ceremony
The events used by the Scrum framework, which are structured, facilitated and usually have a maximized, predefined duration.
The Scrum role to support collaboration and efficiency improvements. Typical tasks: teaching, obstacle removal, support, individual and team development.
Scrum of Scrums
A ceremony for collaboration between several Scrum teams to create transparency and continuous alignment between the teams.
scrum team
Scrum team
The Scrum framework team, consisting of Developers, Scrum Master, Product Owner.
Spike
A task that is usually aimed at internal research or risk management. Spike is often part of the sprint backlog and is implemented by the team.
Sprint Backlog
Sprint plan
For a given Sprint, the Sprint Goal, the selected Product Backlog items and the plan to achieve the Sprint Goal are collectively called the Sprint Backlog.
Sprint Goal
Sprint finish
The goal of the sprint, understood by the whole team and to which the team commits at the latest during the sprint planning.
Sprint Review/Demo
Sprint overview
An event at the end of the Sprint where the team presents their work and the Product Owner gives feedback on the results.
Stakeholders
Interested in
Any individual(s) or group(s) directly affected by the project or directly affected by the project.
Story map
History map
Agile design tool, designed to map and visualise epics and user stories.
Story point
Story point
Usually a dimensionless number chosen from a given set of values, which the team believes best describes the size and complexity of the task or function.
T
Technical debt
Technological debt
A quality gap that makes sustainability difficult in a development. It arises in all developments and increases maintenance/operating/modification costs in the long term. Sustainable products require explicit time to address this during development.
Test-driven development (TDD)
Test driven development
The process whereby test cases are written first, followed by development.
Time-to-market
Time to market
The time it takes from the emergence of a need to its development to its market launch.
Timeboxing
Time frame
A time-frame planning method, where a limited time is set for a particular task or even a meeting, and the work ends after the time has elapsed. It aims to increase focus and efficiency.
U
User acceptance testing (UAT)
User acceptance testing
This is typically the last testing phase, when users/key users verify and accept the software before it goes live.
User experience (UX)
User experience
User experience, which refers to the feelings and experiences a user has with a product.
User persona
User persona
The imaginary embodiment of an interested, or rather typically user. It helps to understand which user groups a product or service is intended for and what their needs are.
User story
Short stories describing user needs, which help the team to understand the development goals and meet the needs.
V
Value stream mapping
Value stream mapping
The process of mapping processes to see where there is an efficiency problem and where it can be optimised.
Velocity
Delivery speed
The amount of work that a team can do in a given period, usually in iterations. The unit of measurement is the same as the unit used in planning.
W
Way of work (WoW)
Working method
A working method defined, typically customised and continuously improved by the team.
Work in progress (WIP)
Work in progress
In the Kanban system, elements and tasks are in one state, work phase, at the same time.
Work in progress (WIP) limit
Work in progress limit
Limit the number of ongoing tasks to improve efficiency. Its use is most widespread during Kanban.
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TRADITIONAL PROJECT MANAGEMENT TERMS
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Assumptions
Assumptions
Factors that are assumed to be a given in project design without being proven. Assumptions can also have an impact on project implementation.
Analogous estimation
Analogue estimation
An estimation technique that relies on past data from a similar project or activity.
B
Baseline
Alapterv
A graph that shows how much the team has completed and how much is left to complete in a given timeframe during agile development.
Business case
Business plan
An assessment of the justification and economic viability of the project, including costs, benefits and risks. It is most often prepared before the start of a project and is an important input to the project start-up decision.
C
Change Control Board
Change Control Committee
A committee with responsibility for overseeing changes throughout the project, including approving and rejecting changes.
Cost of Quality (CoQ)
Cost of quality
The costs incurred during the project to ensure quality and correct any defects.
Crashing
Schedule compression
To speed up the project, reduce lead times by mobilising additional resources.
Critical path analysis
Critical path analysis
An analysis of the critical process path that determines the project lead time and supports you in meeting the final delivery deadline.
D
Deliverables
Deliveries
Specific products, outputs or services produced as a result of the project, which must be in line with the requirements.
E
Earned value analysis
Value generated analysis
A comparative analysis of progress and budget in order to establish the real progress and value of project delivery.
Estimation methods
Estimation methods
Methods used in project planning to estimate the cost, duration and resource requirements of a project.
F
Fast tracking
Accelerating parallelisation
Parallel implementation of project activities to meet the timetable deadlines.
Feasibility analysis
Feasibility analysis
The assessment, typically carried out at the start of a project to determine whether the project is feasible within the resources and timeframe available.
G
Gap analysis
Gap analysis
Examining the gaps between the initial state and the desired state to be achieved by the project.
Gantt chart
Gantt chart
Bar chart showing information about the schedule. Activities are indicated on the vertical axis, dates on the horizontal axis and lead times are indicated by bars.
H
Halo effect
Moonlight effect
Cognitive bias, when an impression of a person influences our judgement of that person. In project management, a typical example is when a high-performing team member is appointed as a project manager because previous impressions lead us to believe that he or she will be able to do well in other roles.
Handover
Takeover
Ensuring the successful completion of the project, including finalisation of the project, compilation of documentation and delivery of project results to stakeholders.
I
Interpersonal skills
Interpersonal skills
It refers to soft skills that help individuals communicate effectively, build relationships and manage other people. This includes empathy, listening skills, conflict management and the ability to work well in teams.
J
Job shadowing
Job tracking
The process whereby one person "follows" and observes the work of another person to gain experience and knowledge. In the project management field, it is most often used to gain a better understanding of requirements or to train novice project managers.
K
Key Performance Indicator (KPI)
Key performance indicator
A KPI is a metric or indicator that helps measure and evaluate the achievement of a particular goal or the performance of a project. KPIs are usually linked to specific objectives or performance requirements and allow for objective measurement and evaluation of results.
L
Lag
Delay
The time by which a subsequent activity starts delayed or delayed in relation to the preceding one.
Lead
Bringing it forward
The time by which a follow-up activity can start earlier than the one before it.
lessons learned
A summary of the lessons learned during the project, which can be used later or in other future projects.
M
Milestone
Milestone
Significant events during the project that mark specific results or deliverables. Milestones are used to track and evaluate the project's schedule and progress and the resulting milestone plan supports senior management reporting.
Motivational theories
Motivational theories
The theories that explain what motivates people and how it affects them.
N
Net Promoter Score (NPS)
A metric that measures customer satisfaction and loyalty to a company or product.
O
Organisational project management maturity
Organisational project management capability
It includes the development of project management processes, tools, methods, knowledge and culture, and the ability to achieve successful project outcomes. Organisational project management maturity is an indicator of the extent to which an organisation has the knowledge, skills and structure to plan, manage and deliver projects effectively.
P
PMBOK Guide
Project Management Guide
A generally accepted project management framework published by the Project Management Institute (PMI), which is a set of best practices accepted and adopted by the industry.
A group of projects that are linked together to achieve a larger goal. Programmes are usually of longer duration and a dedicated programme manager is appointed to lead them.
Project assistant
Project Assistant
The person who supports the project manager in administrative tasks, documentation and communication.
Project audit
Project audit
The evaluation, which reviews the project and analyses whether the documentation and the project implementation process meet all expectations.
Project change management
Project change management
Managing and documenting changes in the project to ensure they are managed effectively and efficiently.
Project charter
Project Establishment Document (PAD)
The document, a fact sheet, that defines the project's objectives, the key information needed to launch the project and the people who will be responsible for managing and implementing the project.
Project closure
Project closure
Project closure, which involves handing over and accepting the project results, archiving the project documentation and often disbanding the team.
Project communication
Project communication
Ensuring the flow of information between project stakeholders, including the team, managers and stakeholders.
Project compliance
Project compliance
Determine and ensure project compliance with regulations, legislation, standards or other requirements.
Project constraints
Project limits
Factors that limit the project and affect the creation and implementation of the project plan, such as time, cost, resources and deadlines.
project coordinator
Project Coordinator
The person who is responsible for coordinating and organising the project, providing project team members and management with communication, monitoring resources and meeting deadlines. Often has less authority than the project manager.
Project cost planning
Project budget planning
Planning the project costs in advance and planning the collection and monitoring of costs throughout the project life cycle.
Project deadlines
Project deadlines
A project typically has pre-defined dates by which tasks must be completed and by which the project as a whole must be finished.
Project documentation
Project documentation
All the documents produced during the project, including the project plan, resources, deadlines, risks and deliverables.
Project documentation review
Checking project documentation
Thoroughly checking and evaluating project documents to ensure compliance with delivery requirements.
Project execution
Project implementation
Implement the planned tasks and achieve the pre-defined results according to the project plan.
Project integration
Project integration
Linking and coordinating all knowledge areas of the project to ensure successful delivery and achievement of project objectives.
Project issues
Project problems
The challenges and difficulties that will be encountered during the project and that need to be addressed for the project to succeed.
Project kick-off
Project kick-off meeting
The first meeting of the project, which usually introduces the project's purpose, deadline, participants and other important information.
Project life cycle
Project lifecycle
The whole "life" of a project, including initial planning, preparation, implementation and closure.
Project management
Project Management
The set of skills, tools and processes that are used to plan, manage and coordinate a project to achieve its objectives.
Project management certification
Project management certification
A certificate confirming that the individual has successfully passed an examination requiring the knowledge and skills required in the field of project management. There are many certifications available on the market, with different prerequisites and exams.
The world's largest professional organisation for project management, which promotes and supports the development of the project management profession and individuals working in the field.
Project Management Office (PMO)
Project office
The department responsible for managing, standardising and optimising project management processes. It is also often used as a Project Programme and Portfolio Management Office in large corporate environments.
Project management processes
Project management processes
The processes to be used in project management, which vary from organisation to organisation and from industry to industry, can be customised.
Project management software
Project management software
The software that helps you plan, manage and monitor your project. These include MS Project, EasyProject and Redmine.
Project management training
Project management training
Teaching project management theory and practice to project managers, teams and stakeholders.
Project manager
Project Manager/ Project Leader
The person responsible for managing the project, implementing the project plan and achieving the project objectives.
Project monitoring and control
Project monitoring and supervision
Monitoring the progress of the project, checking compliance with the project plan and managing and tracking changes.
Project objectives
Project objectives
The documented objectives and the metrics for achieving them that the project manager and team must achieve.
Project organisation
Project Organisation
The structure of the project management organisation, including the project manager, the project team and the project supervisors.
Project performance
Project performance
Measurable results and performance in line with project objectives and requirements.
Project performance indicators
Project performance indicators
The units used to measure and evaluate the status of a project, defined according to the project's objectives and requirements.
Project phase
Project phase
The project is typically professionally broken down into larger periods, phases, which are most often completed by the achievement of milestones.
Project plan
Project plan
A documented plan of the project's objectives, deadlines, resources, risks and activities to be carried out.
Project planning
Project design
Define the project objectives and deliverables, the resources needed, estimate the project duration and develop the project plan.
Project portfolio management
Project portfolio management
The process by which an organisation manages and evaluates all its projects together and creates a strategy to help optimise the project portfolio and achieve business objectives, including prioritisation, resource allocation and alignment of project plans.
Project progress tracking
Monitoring project progress
Monitoring the progress of the project against plan and intervening in time to address problems or delays.
Project quality
Project quality
Ensuring quality in line with project objectives and requirements, applying quality control and quality assurance.
Project quality control
Project quality control
Carrying out continuous quality control and monitoring activities throughout the project life cycle to ensure that the product or service is of the right quality.
Project report
Project report
The document in which the project manager summarises the status of the project, including the achievement of objectives, deliverables, costs and risks.
Project resource planning
Project resource planning
Planning the timing and use of the necessary resources, such as labour, materials and equipment, throughout the project lifecycle.
Project risk
Project risk
The potential risks and opportunities that may arise during the implementation of the project, and the likelihood and impact of these risks and opportunities may vary.
Project risk management
Managing project risks
Identify and manage potential threats and risks during the project to ensure its success.
Project schedule
Project roadmap
A documented schedule that covers the entire duration of the project, including tasks and deadlines.
Project sponsor
Project sponsor
The person or group who funds, supports and often supervises the project at senior management level.
Project status report
Project status report
Reporting the current status, progress and performance of the project to project stakeholders.
Project subcontractors, suppliers
Project subcontractors, suppliers
The external parties associated with the project, who usually provide external resources, materials and services to the project.
Project tasks/activities
Tasks/Activities
The tasks and tasks the team must undertake to complete the project.
Project team
Project team
A group of people who implement a project and work together to achieve the project's objectives.
Q
Quality Management Plan
Quality management plan
One element of the project management plan, which describes how quality objectives will be achieved through the use of processes and tools.
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Requirements Specification
Requirements specification
A document of the requirements that the results or product must meet in order to fulfil the objectives of the project. This document defines the requirements and expectations for the product, including functional and non-functional requirements.
Reserves
Reserves
Reserves in the project budget to cover possible unexpected or uncertain expenses.
Risk response strategy
Risk management strategy
A plan for managing risks, which is defined as the process of developing effective ways of managing risks, taking into account the risks identified in advance and their potential impact and likelihood.
S
Scope
Coverage
The project scope, which defines the content and scope of the project. The project scope defines what tasks must and must not be done to complete the project. The scope should not be confused with the objective.
Situational leadership
Situational driving
A leadership style based on adaptability and responsiveness, designed to enable the leader to deal effectively with changing situations and different personalities.
Stakeholders
Interested in
Any individual(s) or group(s) directly affected by the project or directly affected by the project.
Statement of Work (SoW)
A description of the work, including the tasks to be performed and the relevant constraints. This document is most often prepared to accompany requests for tenders from subcontractors and suppliers.
steering committee
Supervisory Board
A group responsible for managing and overseeing the project and making decisions about the project's strategy, objectives and resources.
T
Three-point estimation
Three-point estimate
An estimation technique that estimates expected values by weighted averaging of three scenarios (optimistic, realistic, pessimistic).
Triple constraints
Project Management Triangle/ Triple Barrier
The project management concept that project effectiveness is based on a close relationship between cost, time and quality. If one element changes, the other elements are affected.
U
User acceptance testing (UAT)
User acceptance testing
This is typically the last testing phase, when users/key users verify and accept the software before it goes live.
V
Variance analysis
Deviation analysis
Techinka, which can be used to identify discrepancies between plans and actual data, including their root causes.
W
Waterfall methodology
Waterfall methodology
The waterfall model is one of the first and widely used project management methodologies. It used to be common in software development, but because it is less applicable in a volatile environment, agile or iterative methodologies are now used instead.
WBS dictionary
WBS dictionary
A document describing in detail the elements of the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).
Work Breakdown Structure
Breakdown structure
A hierarchical breakdown that breaks down the entire project into smaller, more manageable chunks that are easier to plan, track and control. An important tool for scope definition.
Work package
Work Package
The lower level elements of the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), which are typically implemented to complete deliverables. Work packages can be further broken down into activities and tasks for more precise planning.
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